


que pasa despues (what happens next)

by boneswrites



Category: Star Wars, Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Father-Son Relationship, First Kiss, First Time, Fluff, Getting Together, Kes missed Poe, Kes welcomes Finn into the Dameron family, M/M, Nightmares, Poe missed home, Poe takes Finn home with him, Post-Rise of Skywalker, Post-TRoS, Smut, Yavin 4, force-sensitive tree, what happened to Poe on Jakku
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-01
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:47:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22513489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boneswrites/pseuds/boneswrites
Summary: Spoilers for The Rise of SkywalkerAfter the Battle of Exegol and the Resistance's victory, a break is much needed. Poe decides it's time for him to go back home to Yavin IV and invites Finn along, wanting to introduce him to his father. Finn is pleasantly surprised and together, Poe and Finn journey to the pilot's homeworld. Finn learns more about Poe's childhood, his parents and his early years in the Resistance.And after a long time of Poe and Finn dancing around each other and their feelings, confessions ensue.
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Finn
Comments: 13
Kudos: 62





	1. one.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I missed writing for these two! After watching The Rise of Skywalker and researching Poe's parents and backstory, I really wanted to write this story! To highlight Poe's backstory, to write him and his father bonding and writing Kes and Finn interacting is awesome! Also, Poe and Finn getting together! I think it could have easily happened at the end of TRoS, but since it didn't happen, I wanted to write that, as well! I think this story will be three chapters overall. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy and feedback is always greatly appreciated!

They won. 

The Resistance lives on.

The Dark Side has been defeated. 

The Light Side prevails. 

But there is still work to be done. 

Systems and planets to liberate.

But right now, surrounded by celebrations and Resistance fighters, his arms wrapped tightly around Finn, one arm in a sling while his functional hand holds his the back of Finn’s neck, Finn’s body so close to his, the rest of the world fades away. It’s just the two of them, holding each other, basking in each other’s presence. They’re breathing, they’re here, their hearts beating in unison—albeit a little faster than normal—they’re alive.

It’s like everything around them is happening in slow motion. A blur around them, the sound muffled and far away. The rest of the world is underwater, while Poe and Finn are above, and for the first time in ages, they can breathe. Really breathe. 

Poe doesn’t want to let go. He wants to stay in this moment, to freeze time, their victory fresh, adrenaline still coursing through his veins, with Finn so close. Poe buries his face in Finn’s neck, inhaling everything that is _Finn_ and squeezing the back of his neck, his smile wide on his face. 

They stay like that, bodies mingled together, until reality comes crashing back, and the celebration noises become clear once again. Reluctantly, they pull back, arms still on each other, eyes connected, Poe’s grand smile mirrored on Finn’s face. Nervously, Poe slowly leans in, and Finn’s eyes momentarily go wide before his eyes turn soft and he closes them as Poe touches their foreheads together and they simultaneously breathe out. 

They stay like that for a little bit, lingering, their connection speaking volumes.

They eventually separate, gazing into each other’s eyes, silently promising a conversation to be had later.

*****

The next few days go by in a rush. Poe and Finn rarely had a few moments together alone, each of them super busy doing things around the base. As co-generals, they’re on top of the command chain, everyone looking to them for decisions and plans. And at the end of every day, as nightfall comes, they’re both too tired to keep their eyes open.

With the excitement and joy of their victory, comes the pain and grief of everyone they lost. Leia’s absence, stark and heavy, as evident as ever, is still being processed. 

Poe is still wrapping his head around her loss. It hurts his heart, more than he can express, aches in his bones with every move he makes, tears sting his eyes when he stops for a second and his mind wanders to her. Leia. 

Poe’s mom passed away when he was a young kid, after she and his father had introduced him to Leia, Han and Luke. He doesn’t exactly remember the days after his father broke the news to him with tumbling words and shaky hands. But Poe remembers a tight hug, and tears, tears, tears. 

He also remembers sitting in the backyard, the very same backyard he and his mom would run around in, laughing together. He remembers gazing as the Force sensitive tree his parents planted in their garden years back, when he feels a presence behind him, and then next to him. 

It’s not his father. 

He looked to the side to see a lady dressed in white uniform, her hair in one bun with a large braid pinned across her head. 

“Hi, Poe,” she smiled gently at him. “What are you doing out here all alone?”

Poe shrugged, turning his eyes back to the tree. 

“You like that tree, don’t you?”

Poe nodded. “It reminds me of my mom. She’s gone now.” 

“I know,” Leia replied sadly. “We fought together in the Rebellion.” 

“You knew my mom?” Poe’s eyes had gone wide.

“I did,” Leia confirmed. “And she spoke about you a lot. It’s like I already know you.”

“But I don’t know you.”

“I’m Leia,” she smiles.

And then Poe remembers an arm going around his shoulder, pulling him into a warm hug and a promise spoken.

He’s brought back with the sound of rustling coming from outside his living quarters, the voices of Finn and Rose filtering through. 

“Poe?” Finn’s voice is steady outside.

Poe clears his throat. “Yeah, Finn, come in.”

Finn steps into Poe’s living quarters and pauses in his steps, eyeing Poe. “You okay?”

“Hm? Yeah, yeah, I’m fine,” Poe nods. 

Finn doesn’t want to push, so he doesn’t. Instead he nods as well, still keeping an eye on his best friend. “Rose and I were just talking about our plan, reviewing statistics, personnel and food rations. It should be able to sustain us for at least another ten days here.” 

“Good, that’s good,” Poe responds. 

“Poe,” Finn starts. “I think a break would do everyone good. A deserved break, whether going back to family and friends, staying here, going somewhere else in the galaxy…we could always set a rendezvous point after some time to regroup and take it from there.”

“Yeah, that’s…I’ll think about that,” Poe promises. 

Before either man can speak again, Finn hears Rose calling his name.

“Sorry, I have to go,” Finn says.

Poe waves it off. “It’s alright, no worries, I need to finish cleaning up BB-8 anyway.”

“Okay, see you at dinner?”

“Yeah, buddy, see you at dinner.”

*****

“Hey, is Poe okay?” Rose asks Finn as they make their way to the mess hall for dinner. 

“I’m not sure,” Finn sighs. “Something was off earlier, but I didn’t want to push.” 

Rose nods. “He’ll open up when he’s ready.” 

“I hope so,” Finn replies, reaching out to grab a tray. 

They talk some more as they get their food and sit on a table on the side with Finn facing the entrance, keeping an eye out for Poe. 

Poe shows up about half an hour later, grabbing a tray himself and walking over to Finn and Rose when he spots Finn waving at him.

He places his tray in front of him, slipping into the seat next to Finn. 

Finn inspects Poe’s plate, frowning at its little contents. Poe usually eats more at dinner. 

Instead, Finn asks, “how was the rest of your day?”

“It was fine,” Poe responds, not elaborating. 

“How’s BB-8?” 

“Much better,” Poe nods. “Happy beeps all day. How about you guys?”

“Our day was good, productive,” Rose speaks up.

“Glad to hear that,” Poe replies. 

They talk a little more, well, Finn and Rose do most of the talking while Poe observes. Soon, the pilot gets pulls away to deal with some things, leaving Finn and Rose alone.

“Yeah, something’s definitely up,” Rose says, watching Poe as he walks away.

“Yeah.”

Against his better judgment to give Poe some space, Finn’s worry for his best friend took over and he found himself walking toward Poe’s living quarters. He hesitates for a moment or two before knocking. 

“Who is it?” He hears Poe’s voice from the other side. 

“It’s me,” Finn answers.

“Come in,” Poe gives permission. 

Finn doesn’t waste a single second to enter.

“What’s up?” Poe asks, leaning against a chair. 

“Just wanted to stop by and check on you,” Finn replies. 

“I appreciate that, but I’m okay,” Poe reassures Finn. “I’m just…tired.”

“Is that all there is?”

“Yeah, just…processing everything that’s happened.”

“I think we all are,” Finn adds.

“Listen, I’ve been meaning to talk to you, about what you said before, your suggestion.”

“Taking time off?” 

“Yeah,” Poe nods. “I think it’s a great idea. We all deserve a break, and we all need one, too.” 

“That’s great news,” Finn smiles.

“That’s not all, though, I wanted to ask you something.”

“Anything.” 

“I’m going to head back home for the break, to see my dad and…I want you to come with me,” Poe tells Finn, nervousness coating his voice.

“You…” Finn’s eyes go wide, a little more than surprised. “You want me to come with you? To meet your dad?”

A hearty chuckle escapes Poe’s lips. “Yeah, I want you to meet him. I haven’t been back home in a while and I’d like you to come with me. After all, you did save my life and I’m sure my dad would like to thank you in person.” 

“I…” Finn can’t really find the words to express the fluttering sensation in his chest, how his heart skips a beat, how much it means to him that Poe is telling him all this. So instead of speaking, he settles for a nod. “Yeah, I’d like that, I’d like that very much.” 

“Good,” Poe replies, a smile forming on his face. 

“Are you going to show me around and tell me stories about your childhood?” Finn playfully teases. 

Poe chuckles. “Yeah, absolutely.”

“Even better,” Finn flashes that beautiful, blinding smile of his and Poe is momentarily breathless. 

“Have you spoken to Rey yet?”

“Yeah,” Finn nods. “She said she needs to visit Tatooine, there’s something she needs to do.” 

“Okay, she can join us on Yavin IV when she’s ready.” 

*****

Finn was nervous. In just a matter of hours, he was going to meet Poe’s dad. Poe reassured him multiple times that there was no reason for Finn to feel nervous, and that his dad is an easy-going man. Still though, Finn really wanted to give a great first impression, since hopefully—maybe, he would eventually be Poe’s something more. 

He’s always felt drawn to Poe, from the moment they first met and through everything that followed. It broke his heart thinking Poe was dead, thought he wouldn’t be able to get over that, even though he had only known the man for a few hours then. Still, he couldn’t really explain it. And somehow, he feels that Poe felt the same draw towards him. At least, he hoped beyond hope that was the case. 

He often thinks about how they hugged each other right after the Battle of Exegol. He still feels Poe’s touch on his neck, lingering. The look in the pilot’s eyes when they separated, and then when their foreheads touched. It was so simple an act, yet filled with intimacy and trust. It made Finn’s heart swell in his chest, and he felt calm and safe. 

_Safe_. Poe is Finn’s safe place. 

Poe’s voice tears Finn from his thoughts. His voice gets clearer as he gets closer. 

“Finn?” Poe calls out. “Ready to go?”

“Yeah, just a second,” Finn answers, grabbing his duffle bag and slinging it over his shoulder. He takes a look at his living quarters, allowing everything to finally start sinking in. With one last glance, he turns on his heels and goes to find Poe. 

“We’re taking a Falcon, and Chewie is tagging along,” Poe informs his co-general.

Finn nods. 

They quickly load up the Falcon and Chewie goes ahead to prepare to leave. While Poe says goodbye to his fellow pilots, Finn notices Rose approaching. 

“What are you going to do?” Finn asks.

“I’m staying here. There’s a bunch of us who decided to stay here,” Rose answers. _Because there’s no one to go home too._ But that remains unsaid. “We’ll be fine. Besides, we’ll regroup soon.” 

Finn moves forward and embraces Rose in a tight hug. “Take care of yourself.”

“I will,” Rose replies, returning the hug and pats Finn’s back. “You, too.”

Poe and Finn made Rose in charge until they regroup.

A few minutes later, the ramp leading up the Falcon is closed, and the three crew members file into the cockpit, Poe and Chewie sitting in the pilot chairs while Finn sits behind Poe. 

They can see the remainder of the Resistance below, all watching them depart. They fire up the Falcon, and Rose lifts her hand to wave. A couple of seconds later, everyone standing with her does the same, and they watch as the iconic ship takes off and flies away, disappearing into hyper space. 

*****

The trip to Yavin IV goes by smoothly. They land, the Falcon being welcomed with open arms. Poe, Finn and Chewie start gathering their belongings to disembark. As they do so, Chewie says something. 

Poe and Finn pause, sharing a quick look before looking at Chewie.

“Chewie, why?” 

Chewie speaks again.

“Are you sure?”

Chewie nods. 

“Whatever you need, buddy,” Poe says. “You know where to find us.” 

Once they step outside and they start moving, Poe is immediately being recognized and hugged by people. He laughs, hugging them back and thanking them. 

“Good to see you, kiddo,” a woman approaches them, a kind smile on her face.

“Hey, Auntie,” Poe’s face lights up. “It’s great to see you.”

“Look at you, you’re not a kiddo anymore,” she replies, wrapping Poe in a hug. 

Poe chuckles, returning the hug.

“Kes has waited for this moment a long time,” she says when they pull apart, her palm going to cup Poe’s cheek and caressing his stubbly skin. 

“I know,” Poe nods. Then turns to Finn. “This is Finn, he’s my best friend and co-general.” 

“Ah, look at you boys, Generals,” she smiles, giving Finn a hug, too. 

Soon, Poe and Finn are making their way to the Dameron household. As the speeder approaches the house, Poe’s excitement and nerves bubble up more at the though of seeing his father. 

As he parks the speeder next to his dad’s, he can see Kes hunched over in the garden, where Poe had expected to him to be. 

Poe pauses, his eyes roaming over the house, a sea of emotions flashing on his face. 

“Hey,” Finn whispers, placing his hand on Poe’s shoulder, silently supporting him. 

Poe nods, takes a deep breath and takes a step forward. Then two. Then three. He’s getting closer to his dad, his heart beating faster with each step and he’s swallowing against his suddenly dry throat. 

Kes stops what he’s doing and feeling Poe’s presence, he turns around. He visibly inhales a sharp breath, his eyes pinned on his son’s figure and neither of them are moving anymore. Finn thinks neither of them are even breathing. 

Kes breaks the silence. 

“Poe?” Kes whispers. 

“Hi, dad,” Poe replies, a smile spreading on his face and he continues walking towards his dad. 

Kes takes a few steps forward too, closing the distance between him and Poe. Kes doesn’t waste a single second in engulfing his son in a tight, breathtaking hug. 

“Oh, _mijo_ ,” Kes breathes out, holding Poe as close to him as possible.

“Pops,” Poe replies, burying his face in his father’s shoulder. 

One of Kes’s hands goes up to hold the back of Poe’s head, slowly running his fingers through his son’s soft hair. 

“ _Te he extrañado_ ,” Poe says. _I’ve missed you_.

“ _Yo también, mijo. Yo también_ ,” Kes replies. _Me too, son. Me too._

Poe lets himself melt against his father’s embrace, letting himself really feel his arms around his tired body, the warmth seeping from Kes, the warmth he longed for during the entire period of the war, the entire time he was away from his father, away from his home. 

With one last body squeeze, Kes pulls back, his hands on Poe’s shoulders. 

“ _Déjame mirarte_ ,” Kes sniffs, tears shining in his eyes. _Let me look at you._

_“Estoy bien,_ ” Poe replies. _I’m okay_.

Kes inspects Poe from head to toe, and then his eyes land on Poe’s bandaged arm. His eyes go a little wide. 

“It’s fine,” Poe says before Kes can speak. “It’s just a scratch.” 

Kes doesn’t push. “It’s good to have you home, son.” 

Poe smiles, nodding. Then he turns to Finn, who was watching the father-son reunion with a wide smile and wet eyes. 

“Pops, this is Finn. Finn, my dad, Kes,” Poe introduces.

“It’s good to finally meet you, sir,” Finn speaks, taking a step forward and reaching out his hand. He’s surprised, pleasantly so, when Kes hugs him instead of shaking his stretched out hand. 

“The least I could do is hug the man who saved my _mijo_ ’s life,” Kes chuckles. 

Finn smiles, returning the hug. 

“It’s good to meet you, too,” Kes adds when they separate and then looks around, a slight frown forming on his face. “Where’s BB-8?”

“He’s with our friend, there’s something she needed to do and I thought she shouldn’t be alone, BB is pretty fond of Rey. Rey and Finn actually were the ones who got BB to the Resistance when I was captured,” Poe explains. 

“Ah,” Kes nods, a hand going to Finn’s shoulder and giving him a pat there. “Yet another thing I’m grateful to you for. Come, I’m sure you two are tired from the long trip.” 

“Dad, there’s one more thing,” Poe says before he moves to follow Kes. “And I—I don’t think it should wait.”

“Okay,” Kes nods. “What is it?” 

Poe swallows, his voice low and sad. “Leia, she’s gone.” 

Kes doesn’t respond for a few beats, he doesn’t blink, his eyes stuck to Poe’s face. Then the news finally hits him, he takes in a broken breath, closing his eyes and squeezing them shut. He lets his head fall against his chest and he slowly lets out the huff of air. 

“I’m sorry,” Poe whispers, his eyes filled with sorrow and heartbreak. 

Kes shakes his head. Lifting his head, opening his eyes and turning his head to look around, not focusing on anything in particular. 

“First Han, then Luke and now Leia,” Kes finally speaks, his voice shallow and low. 

“I know,” Poe agrees. “It’s hard.”

“That’s going to take a while to sink in,” Kes sighs. “Come on, boys, let’s get you something to eat.”

As they follow Kes into the house, Finn gives Poe a confused look. Poe nods, _I’ll explain later_. 

“I’ll let you boys settle in, I’ll be in the kitchen,” Kes says, patting Poe’s arm as he walks away. 

Finn moves around the house for a bit, admiring it and taking it in the simplicity and elegance surrounding him. “I’ll take the couch,” he says, noticing the couch in the living area. 

“Nonsense,” Poe replies. “You’re in my room.” 

“Where will you sleep?”

“In my room, too,” Poe answers. 

Finn’s confusion must be evident on his face because Poe is chuckling. 

“My bed can comfortably fit both of us,” he clarifies.  
“But…” Finn trails off.

“Okay, until your brain catches up, this way,” Poe says, leading Finn towards his bedroom. 

They pass by a few holos that Finn makes a mental note to look at closely later. But right now there’s one thing repeating in his head: I’m sharing a bed with Poe. 

*****

Poe walks onto the porch, a bottle of beer in hand, to find his dad sitting near the Force-sensitive tree in their backyard. He leans against the window frame and just watches his dad for a few seconds until he feels Finn come up behind him.

They had dinner about an hour ago, caught up as much as they could and Kes got to know Finn a little better. 

“Whoa, what’s that?” Finn asks, his voice filled with wonder.

“A Force-sensitive tree,” Poe answers, his eyes still focused on his father. “Luke gave it to my mom a long time ago, and she planted it right there.”

“Luke?”

Poe nods. 

“You knew him before you joined the Resistance?”

“Yeah, knew Han and Leia, too,” Poe says. “Knew them since I was a boy. My mom fought by Leia and Luke’s sides, my dad was always by Han’s side, part of his Pathfinder special ground force.”

“Wow, that’s—that’s incredible,” Finn admires. 

Poe nods again. “They were like family, are our family. That’s why he’s taking the news about Leia hard. Han’s passing was also hard on him, but I wasn’t here for that. We had a call, after it happened, and I could tell how much he was hurting. And I was far away, and that was hurting him, too.” 

“You’re here now, Poe,” Finn says. “Healthy and alive, and we won. We won. We won their fight, and I know all of them are proud, Han, Luke, Leia…your dad, your mom.”

“Yeah, I know,” Poe bows his head. “I just wish all of them were here to see it.” 

“Me, too,” Finn sighs, and extends his arm, wrapping it around Poe’s shoulder and giving it a light squeeze. “But they know.” 

Poe leans into Finn’s touch, into Finn’s personal space. “He does this, when he needs to think or needs to process something,” Poe says, talking about Kes. “He speaks to my mom there, he could sit for hours near that tree, not moving, saying anything and everything that comes to mind.” 

A gush of cold wind blows by, prompting Poe to break from Finn’s hold and moves to grab a blanket that’s been neatly folded on the couch near them.

Poe takes the blanket, walks to his father and drapes it over Kes’s back. He then places both hands on his father’s shoulders and Finn can see Kes’s hand settling on top of Poe’s. Neither Poe nor Kes say anything. There’s no need for words. 


	2. two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe and Finn share Poe's bed. Poe is a little distant the following morning. Finn learns a little bit about Poe's childhood. Finn and Kes talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Sorry for the long wait for the second chapter, I got sidetracked with some other works in progress. I'm happy with how this chapter turned out and I hope you enjoy! Feedback is always greatly appreciated!

A little after Poe and Kes sit by the tree, all three men retreat into the living room, talking some more about random topics. At some point during the conversation, Kes tells Finn a little about Shara and their adventures when they were younger, before they had Poe. 

Finn’s eyes and face were lit up by interest and wonder, closely listening to every thing Kes says. Poe glances at Finn and a smile spreads on his face when he sees the look on Finn’s face.

Kes tells Finn a little about Leia, Luke and Han, which grabs his attention even more. 

“I’m beat,” Kes says a while after, stifling a yawn. “I’m going to bed. You boys need anything?”

“We’re good, Pops, thanks,” Poe replies.

“See you tomorrow, then,” Kes says, patting Poe and Finn’s arms as he walks by them.

“Good night.”

“Good night,” Finn echoes. 

“Night.”

“Your dad’s stories are incredible,” Finn tells Poe after they hear Kes’s bedroom door close.

Poe nods. “They’re remarkable.”  
“They are,” Finn agrees. 

“Wanna head to bed, too? It’s been a long day,” Poe asks. 

“That sounds like exactly what I need,” Finn says, standing up and stretching for a few moments.

Poe makes sure the door and windows are locked and with one last glance at the Force tree, he turns on his heels and Finn follows him to his bedroom. They take turns in the bathroom, changing into their sleepwear and when Poe returns to his room, he finds that Finn made a make-shift mattress on the floor with the extra blankets Poe had put out earlier. 

“Finn?”

“Yeah?” Finn looks up from where he was arranging the blankets. 

“The floor isn’t as comfortable as it looks,” Poe teases. 

“I’ll be fine,” Finn says.

“Are you sure?”

Finn nods.

“Okay,” Poe says reluctantly. 

Poe gets under the covers and oh, how much he missed his bed, those walls, that ceiling. 

Once Finn gets under the blankets too, Poe switches off the light. The darkness sets in, and slowly, the strong moonlight seeps into the bedroom through the curtain. 

“Finn?” Poe whispers.

“Yeah?”

“Just get up here.” 

Finn doesn’t move.

“Come on,” Poe urges. 

Hesitantly, Finn gets up from the floor, his heart beat increasing with each step he takes to reach Poe’s bed. He pauses there, but the look on Poe’s face warms his heart and slows his heartbeat. Poe’s eyes are soft and welcoming, filled with care and the smile on his face matches his eyes. 

Finn swallows and slides under the covers, making sure he doesn’t accidentally touch Poe while he settles. Because he knows if any part of his gets in contact with Poe’s body, he isn’t going to be held responsible for what happens next. He desperately wants to hold Poe close, run his fingers through the pilot’s soft curls, feel the rise and fall of his chest with every breath he takes.

Because they’re breathing. They’re alive. They’re here.

And Finn is literally sleeping in Poe’s bed. Next to him. 

Finn takes in a deep breath, slowly letting it out. It’s louder than expected, given how quiet the room is. 

Finn’s arms are crossed over his chest, his hands placed on top of each other there.

“Finn?” Poe whispers.

“Yeah?”  
“It’s okay,” Poe says, and after a moment, Finn feels a hand lingering on top of his. Then the hand is covering his.

Finn first looks down at his and Poe’s hand and then his eyes wander to Poe, who is now closer than Finn remembers. 

“This okay?” Poe asks, his voice nervous. 

Finn is nodding before he speak. “Yeah, more than okay.”

The smile that flashes on Poe’s smile is heavenly. 

Finn moves his hand so he can intertwine his fingers with Poe’s. 

Poe settles closer to Finn, his head resting on the edge of his pillow as he closes his eyes. He’s asleep in no time, the comfort and warmth of Finn’s body next to his lulling him to sleep.

Finn watches Poe sleep for a while, his mind still catching up to the fact that all of this is actually happening. A smile spreads on Finn’s face and warmth settles in his chest and he, too, drifts off to sleep, the last thing he sees is Poe’s peaceful face. 

*****

For the first time in as long as he can remember, the first thing Finn registers as he begins to wake up is calm. His body is relaxed on the mattress below him, a comfort there that draws a small smile on his face. Finn has never slept on anything as soft and inviting as this mattress; the First Order never really cared and well, they didn’t really have the luxury of testing out mattresses in the Resistance. They got by by what they found and were given, and it was more than enough. They won. They won. 

There isn’t hustle a few feet away from his quarters that Finn had gotten used to, where he could very clearly hear other resistance fighters talking and planning as they jogged by. Or the loud overhead sound of x-wings landing or taking off. No, it was calm. And something rushes through Finn’s veins at that realization. Something he can’t quite put his finger on at the moment. 

He senses the soft sunlight shining into Poe’s bedroom beyond his closed eyelids, and slowly, he begins to open them. He’s met by an empty bed, well, an empty side to be more accurate. Poe wasn’t there. He listens closely, trying to figure out where the pilot is, but there are no sounds coming from the ‘fresher either. And then, Finn notices how close he is to Poe’s pillow. 

He went to sleep on his back, and now, he’s on his side and his face is almost resting on Poe’s pillow along with his own.

Just how much did he gravitate towards Poe in his sleep?

A lump starts to form in Finn’s throat and his heart picks up speed in his chest. 

_Great_ , he thinks, _I got close and he woke up to seeing my face squashed against his and he freaked out_.

He pushes the blankets off his body and sits up, his one thought before making his was to the ‘fresher: I should have stayed on the floor. 

After he freshens up, Finn nervously walks out and towards the sounds coming from the kitchen. There, he finds Poe, his back to him, swiftly moving around the space, presumably getting breakfast ready.

Sensing Finn’s arrival, Poe turns his head to look over his shoulder and his eyes light up a little.

“Ah, there you are,” Poe speaks. “I was hoping you’d wake up soon. Wouldn’t want breakfast to get cold.” He turns his attention back to the food.

“Could have woken me up,” Finn says, moving to sit on the dining table.

Poe shrugs. “You deserved some good night’s rest.”

And speaking of a good night’s rest, it appears Poe didn’t get much of that. In short, the pilot looks like hell. 

It’s even clearer when Poe approaches Finn to place the platters on the table. How tired his eyes look, the bags hanging under his eyes. Poe tries to mask it, but Finn can see it as clear as day.

“Come on, let’s eat,” Poe says, taking a seat across from Finn. 

“Where’s your dad?” Finn asks.

“He went to the Market, said we shouldn’t wait and just to leave him some food,” Poe replies. 

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” Poe nods, not quite meeting Finn’s eyes. “He said he doesn’t know how long he’ll be.” 

It’s Finn’s turn to nod as he and Poe start to eat in silence. Poe’s eyes are glued to his plate, and Finn notices that he had barely touched his food. 

It’s unlike Poe, who’s always moving around and sparking conversations, looking straight into people’s eyes, full of energy and inviting, Poe is very inviting, even with his friendly gestures and touches. A nudge here, a clap on the shoulder there, maybe even an arm slung over those shoulders. 

But this Poe, the one sitting across from him, this isn’t the Poe Finn knows and is falling for. 

Poe is distant, and the only reason Finn can think of is the previous night.

“Poe?” Finn breaks the silence, putting his fork down.

Poe looks up from his plate, and Finn can tell he was lost in thought.

“Are you okay?” Finn asks, concern coating his voice. 

“I’m fine,” Poe replies. 

“I don’t mean to pry but…you don’t look like you got decent sleep last night,” Finn states rather than questions.

Poe clears his throat. “Just not used to the quiet is all.”

_And not used to someone sleeping next to you_ , Finn thinks, _which may or may not be freaking out you_. Instead, Finn nods. “Yeah, I know what you mean.”

Still, he has to ask. 

“It’s not about…me being there? Sleeping next to you?” Finn asks, treading lightly. 

Poe momentarily frowns then he’s shaking his head. “No, no, not at all. It was actually…comforting.”

And with Poe’s words, Finn feels a weight being lifted off his chest. 

“It’s not about you,” Poe continues, reassuring his best friend. “In fact, we hadn’t even met when…” he trails off. 

“Was it…Jakku?” Finn asks, praying he isn’t overstepping or pushing Poe.

He just…he hates seeing Poe hurting, and he wants to help. And still, Finn is learning more every day but a part of him doesn’t know how to extend a hand without feeling like he’s stepping over a line.

And Kes, Kes arrives just in time to overhear Finn’s last question. And his heart drops into his knees. And then part of the puzzle falls into place for Kes: his son hadn’t spoken to him for a few weeks after his mission on Jakku. 

Kes had assumed that Poe got busy after that mission. Poe had sent him a quick holo, telling him he was back from Jakku and that he was okay. Still, Kes had a feeling something bad happened there but couldn’t get a hold of his son for some time following the short holomessage. He got in touch with Leia when three weeks had gone by, worried about Poe, but she had told him Poe was doing okay, that he was busy. Kes could tell Leia was worried about Poe, too. 

And now, hearing the underlying worry in Finn’s voice, and Poe’s response to the question, it was like a bucket of ice cold water has been poured over the old man. 

Poe sighed, carefully answering Finn’s question. “It was war, bad—horrible things happen all the time during war. And you can’t do anything about that, or about them, for a matter of fact. You can’t stop, you can’t linger, you have to keep moving. Moving forward, to win the war. And sometimes…it catches up to you, and it hits you out of nowhere, knocks you off balance and…” Poe pauses, turning his head to look outside. “It looks like a beautiful day out,” he gestures to the garden with his head. “Wanna go out forsome fresh air?”

Finn wasn’t expecting the question, so it takes him a few beats to answer. “Um, yeah, sure.” 

He follows Poe’s lead in getting up and walking outside, a welcomed cool breeze colliding with their skin. It’s refreshing. Finn knows there’s more to what Poe was telling him, what he was describing, but he didn’t ask any more questions. His gut was telling him _that_ would he pushing Poe, and he’d be overstepping. He hopes Poe will come to him when he’s ready.

And Poe, standing next to Finn, closes his eyes as he angles his head up towards the sun. He had missed this, missed this sun, the heat and warmth of _home_. 

Poe was tired, and he hadn’t slept well the previous night, that much, was true. However, he didn’t tell the full truth behind why he didn’t get a good night’s sleep. He didn’t tell Finn that the reason he was tossing and turning all night, is because his nightmares had crept their way back.

Poe and Finn are sitting on the porch when Kes walks in. He had stayed back for a while, gathering his strength again and calming his heart after hearing Poe’s answer. He’ll watch Poe for a little bit before bringing it up, he had decided. 

“Hey, boys.”

“Hey, dad,” Poe turns his head to look at his father. “Welcome back.”

“Thanks,” Kes nods.

“How was the Market?” Poe asks.

Kes shrugs. “Pretty much the same, got stopped by people a few times, though.” 

“Why?” Poe’s forehead creases.

“To pat me on the shoulder and tell me how happy they are that my son, the Resistance hero, has safely returned home,” Kes answers, a smile forming on his face. 

Poe mirrors his dad’s smile, albeit a smaller one. “It wasn’t just me, dad. It never is.” 

“I know, _mijo_ ,” Kes pats Poe’s shoulder. “I know. Still, they’re happy you’re back. Most of all, I am.” 

“I’m happy I’m back, too,” Poe replies, tapping Kes’s hand that’s on his shoulder. Then he turns to look at Finn. “And I’m happy Finn is here, too.”

And the bright smile Finn flashes Poe with, makes the pilot’s heart skip a beat. 

“As am I,” Kes looks at Finn. “You know,” he continues, grabbing a chair and putting it next to Poe, falling backwards into it. “Many of the older people in town watched this guy grow up,” Kes says, patting Poe’s knee. “And many of their children played with him the fields.” 

Poe chuckles, nodding. 

Finn looks between the father and son, and the sense of welcoming and warmth towards him, especially from Kes, it’s a feeling he can’t describe. Kes has welcoming him with open arms, quite literally, and he accepted him, wholeheartedly and completely, into his home and in so many more ways, too. 

And here he is, telling him stories about young Poe running through fields and through the forest with his friends. And this, Finn realizes, is everything he had hoped and dreamed of. 

“I’ll never forget when Poe, not even six yet, came running to me, that strong look of determination on his face,” Kes carries on and Finn nods, knowing that look all too well. 

Finn catches a quick glance at Poe before turning his attention back to Kes. 

“He stops right in front of me and with a straight face, he says, ‘dad, I’m going to take my friends in mom’s a-wing for a ride’ and he’s pointing to the a-wing parked in the driveway. And of course, I can’t tell him no, so what do I do? I tell Shara I’ll go to the Market instead of her because she has to take Poe and his friends flying,” Kes smiles at the memory, but there’s sadness in his brown eyes, too, Finn notices. 

Poe nods along, clearly reliving that moment along with his father. He turns to look at Finn. “My mom gave me my very first flying lesson two weeks later.” 

They sit in silence for a few minutes. Poe breaks it by clearing his throat and wordlessly getting to his feet. Kes and Finn watch him as he starts walking through the garden and towards the Force tree. Poe pauses in front of it, looking up and down the breathtaking tree for a couple of moments before sitting down on the grass and crossing his legs.

“Hey, mom,” Poe whispers after a beat. “I’m home.”

Finn looks at Kes. “The first night we arrived, and you sat by the tree, Poe said you do that when you need to think or need to process something, that you speak to his mom there.”

“That’s true,” Kes nods. “He does the same. Sometimes he doesn’t say anything, and sometimes he speaks for hours.”

Finn’s attention goes back to Poe, and he notices how his shoulders are hunched forward.

“I overheard you asking him about Jakku,” Kes says, looking at Finn.

Surprise colors Finn’s face as he turns back to look at Kes, his eyes wide.

“Well, not intentionally,” Kes adds. “I had just returned from the Market when you asked him.”

Finn doesn’t say anything.

“I didn’t want to interrupt, mostly because…I wanted to hear his answer, I wanted to know what happened on that planet, but his answer, that just made the pit in my stomach bigger,” Kes sighs. 

“Sir?”

Kes takes a deep breath. “He told me about his mission to Jakku before he left for it, we had spoken a couple of days before. But the next time I had commed, they told me he was already gone. I was always worried about him, having been in this war, but that mission to Jakku, I don’t know why but…that one increased my worry. I had a feeling…but I couldn’t tell him not to go. So I waited, and waited. He sent me a short holomessage when he finished the mission, but I could tell he wasn’t okay. And then it was radio silence for a few weeks. Until I got in touch with Leia and asked about him.” 

“We, uh, we got separated on Jakku,” Finn begins. “The TIE fighter we escaped in crashed and when I came to, I found the TIE but it quickly sunk into the sand and I…I thought he was dead. We reunited a few days later on D’Qar and I was so relieved that he was alive.”

Kes nodded. “He sent me the holomessage from D’Qar, and told me about another mission you were all going on.”

“Starkiller Base.”

Kes nods again. “I assumed he got busy, because we still hadn’t spoken much after that. I noticed that when he was growing up, if something was bothering him or if he didn’t want to think about something, he would throw himself into work, be it flying his mother’s a-wing or going on Navy missions. He would often avoid it, until I sat him down and spoke to him about it, addressed it, even when he would avoid it,” he explains. 

“I’m looking out for him,” Finn promises. “He’s always checking up on everyone and making sure everyone is okay and that they have everything they need. He has a big heart, a kind one, a brave one.”

He can sense the connection between Poe and Finn, and he keeps looking at Finn even as the other man turns to watch Poe. And the look in Finn’s eyes as he looks at Poe, the sheer admiration, wonder, and longing…Kes knows that look. It’s the same way he looked at Shara. 

“You’re a good man, Finn,” Kes smiles, clasping Finn’s shoulder and giving it a light squeeze. 

Finn turns back to Kes, he smiles and chuckles. 

“What?” Kes raises an eyebrow.

“Poe said the same thing to me, when we reunited on D’Qar,” Finn responds, remembering how he and Poe had run towards each other, after thinking the other had died, and the embrace they shared. 

Kes swallows. “What happened, Finn? What happened to my son out there?”

**Author's Note:**

> I don't speak Spanish, I used Google translate for this, please let me know if anything isn't correct and I'll fix it!


End file.
